The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1887-08-26
con. Bntler and Mrs. Mumford.

/ Cen. Butler and Mrs. Mumford.
One Of the most notable events Of
the war was the hauling down ot the
federal flag by Mumfora il New or.
teaus after the city had surrendered.
For this daring act Mumford was
hanged By the order Of Gen. Builder.
The affair created the widest excite
ment throughout the South. The
dead man was regarded as hero, and
Buffers conduct was considered bru-
tai in the extreme.
From time to time since the war it
has been vaguely intimated that But
Ter was in danger Of being assassinated
by one Of Mumfords sons, and more
thsn once imaginative newspaper cor
respondents have described the gener-
ais efforts to escape from his relent-
less foe.
Now all this seems probable, and
vet there is not p word of truth in it.
During all these years Butler has re.
manned silent, although the publica-
ton of the facts in the case would
have reflected the highest credit upon
him. A few weeks ago q gentleman
saw a newspaper statement to the at
feet that Butler had obtained a clerk
ship for Mumford's widow. Thinking
that there might be an interesting sto-
ry connected with it he wrote to the
general for further information But
ler's reply will be reve, alton to many
people.
1t appears that thai III 1868 he learned
that Mrs Mumford was in Washington
in great distress. An interview took
place and the lady stated that a sub
scriptionraised for her benefit by the
southern people had been invested in
a little homein Wytheville Va. There
was a carpenters lein on the house,
and it was difficult for the family to
get along. Butler at once paid of the
lien and obtained a clerk-ship for Mrs.
Mumford in the internal revenue bu.
reau. During the Hayes administra-
ton she was turned out. Butler went
to Postmaster General Key and laid
the whole matter before him, and Sc
cured a placefo for the unfortunate wom-
an in his department, which she held
until her death.
In conclusion, the general writes:
81 saw in the southern newspapers
not unfrequently thatshe was bringing
up her children and instructing them
IN a vendetta against me. In
deed, it went SO far that when ! was
at the Chicago convention in "a it
was published in Chicago that there
was q son Of Mumford' S en- routefrom
some western territory to kill me in
revenge for his fathers death, and |
was advised by my friends to take
great care TO let no strange man geG
near me. told them if | lived until
some one Of Mrs. Mumford's children
killed me ] should reach a ripe old ag1,
and laughed at that foolishness as I
have occasion to laugh at much other
newspaper nonsense.
II may be permitted to say further
sthat there is a great change Of feeling
apparently come owe the southern
people in regard to my being justified
in the execution OF Mumford for haul
ing down the American flag, because /
saw a letter Of Gov. Fitzhugh Lee,
when speaking of thereturn OF the con-
federate flags proposed by the Presi
dent, in whichahe winds up by saying:
ZIG any man hauls down the American
flag let him be shot on the spot
This little chapter of war his
tory is as interesting as anything
that has yet appeared in print. One
kind action does not make a man a
saint, but it should bepassed up to his
credit. What Tom Reed said about
John A. Logan viii apply well to Ben
Butler: "Ie is so did humanl'-
Atlanta Constitution.